Metallurgy of iron and steel.



' No Drawing. I

i To all whom z'tmdyconcerhi:

WILLI M sPEIns' smrs'on AND HOWARD ovum. or Lennon, NGLAN METALLURGY or men-Ann STEEL.

Be it known that we,-WILL1AM SPETRS SIMPSON, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and HOWARD OviA'r'r, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at London, England, have inventedflcertain new and useful Improvements in theMetal-v lurgy of Iron and Steel, ofwhichtheifollowing is a specification. y

This invention has for its object thereduction .of iron oxids and the production of refined iron containing 99% and upward of .sFe, from various ores in which iron occurs. as an oxld, or the productlon of steel of-va-.

rious commercialv qualities directly from suchores. The-methodor processis-adaptable .to any form of iron oxid capable of bef ing' crushed or ground for mixing purposes as hereinafter set forth and is peculiarly adapted to the economical treatment, of con- V cent-rates or of oresalready existing in a.

1 state of fine division asv natural products,

' such as magnetic iron sands whether titaniferous or otherwise. f

In carrying out the'purposes of the inventionwe prepare anore-chargeby thor- .lferous ores, manganese di0x1d, 1n the form i oughly mixing any convenient. quantity of suitable iron ore which if not already. in a comparatively fine state of division has been ground or pulverized, with a suitable quan-.

tity of a finely ground metallic chlorid such as the 'chlorid of sodium, or its equivalent,

. ore under treatment.

"such-for example as the chlorid of potas- '-s1um,calc1um magnesium, strontium, ba-

rium or aluminium. The quantity of such chloridrequired varying according to the character thereof and the character of the Under most conditions the chlorid of sodium is the more convenient and economical and the quantity required per ton of ore varies from '10% t-o 25% of the weight thereof, ores containing a high percentage of phosphorus or sulfur requiring more of the metallic chloridthan ores less impregnated with such impurities. Such ore-charge must also be provided (if i not already existing. in adequateproportions in the ore) with a suitablequantity .of silica or silicious material and with an adequate quantity of one or more of certain bases, such as lime, magnesia and alumina, all

} finely ground and employed in most cases in proportions representing about two parts of silica to three parts of basic material which is usually adequate to form a readily fusible speciflcation of Letters Patent. Applicattonflled Kovember 22.11am. ser al no. teases.

Pat aaa ay1a191e.

and liquid slag may represent in quantity from l 5% to 30%.offthe' weight of the ore charge. The'proportionsof such ,Islag composition maybe varied. so that it may be rendered either. acid ,or basicas-gbest suited to, hearthi linings or other'condit-ions present during the ore treatment.

The oxids of iron when: sub'ected to' adequate heat, out of the air, in the presence of silica and a metallic chlorid (such for exmetal without the employment of carbonaceous reducing agents of any 'kind. .-Untler suitable thermal conditions and in contact with the oxids of iron and of silicious material the constituents .ofrvarious metallic uniform and the whole process is efiicient rapid and economical. -It promises to be of great commercial utility, 1

In some cases: especially in treating titanof manganese oreor other wise,;may beadde d .to the ore-charge; and ,.t-horoughly wmixed -therewith; the quantity of such dioxid varying from two to, six percent. or. upward of the weight ofthe ore-charge, according to the character of the ore. t

If steel is to be produced directly from the ore instead of iron it is necessary that 'the ore-charge should contain in addition to the substances hitherto mentionedand (if-the ore is titaniferous) including the manganese dioxid, a suitable'quantityof a carburizing' material either in finely divided form and intimately mixed with the ore-charge or in a less finely dividedform and charged into the hearth before placing the ore-charge therein. Such carburizing material. may

consist of graphite (plumbago) or other suitable carbon such as a pure form of ground coke or anthracite coal and may be so employed as to uniformly carburize .the steel to any desirable extent and at the will of the operator. The quantit-yof carbon rei "ample as sodium chloridlmay be reduced to quired may vary from one percent. to three per cent. (or upward) of the weight of the ore-charge; depending upon the character of the steel to be produced and upon the character of'the carbon so employed. Orin t the prepared ore-charge may be subjected to until such surface is covered by the fused furnace wherein the ore charge is heated reasons stated it is obvious that ordinary airthe contents of the =ore-charge under oxidized at a-Stage of the process when the tion of the iron oxids and the'agglomcration of the metallic particles. If, however, a

is heated only from beneath no precautions .such as coke-breeze or small coal, preferably anthracite, which under the high temperabonaceous material may be mixed with the some cases the carburizing material may be omitted from'theore chargein the first instance-and added thereto after the slag has been formed'and tapped off, in order to facilitate the melting of the iron and the car-' burization of the same.

The ore-charge having been prepared. in the manner hereinbefore describedmay be placed .in any suitable vessel, retort or receptacle having a suitable refractory and slag-resisting lining and then may be subjected to heat, out of contact with air, in any convenient manner or in any convenient form offurnace wherein it is practicable to create and maintain high temperatures suchas a heat equal to or somewhat higher than the fusing point of pure iron or fine steel, approximately 3000 Fyand upward. Or

the requisite heat in the open hearth of a furnace such as [Siemens regenerative furnace, fired by gas provided however that the surface of the ore-charge is protected from atmospheric air and from 'the oxidizing influence of the flames or fumes ofthe furnace whileworking at high'temperatures" slag resultingfrom the operation as hereinafter mentioned. In practice, and especially if employing a gas-fired open hearth from above, the chief objects of the process are either impaired or frustrated unless treatmentareadequately protected from oxidation. Otherwise much of the reduced metal while-still in specular form or in the form of spongyor unfused iron, becomes rereducing conditions or agencies are spent. It is requisite therefore that the surface and the'upper strata of the ore-charge shall be protected from re-oxidation and the underlying -materials composing the chargebe kept from contact with air during the reducfurnace be employed wherein the ore charge againstre-oxidation of the reduced iron are necessary. A convenient and -efficient method of protecting the ore-charge on the overit a thin layer of carbonaceous material ture of an oxidizing flame provides an atmosphere of CO at the surface of the orecharge and so employed does not affect the underlying ore, or in some cases the car-.

upper strata of the ore charge. For the blast smelting furnaces of all descriptions and all difliculties of re-oxidation are redesirable that when the molten iron or steel as hereinbefore specified, varies from three may be brought together in the ore-charge but an ore-charge may be prepared in the -a refractory material suitable for resisting the action of erosive slags. In most cases a .chromite hearth or lining is efficient. In connection with the latter we are able to construct an open hearth furnace wherein the ore charge may be adequately heated. either partly or altogether from underneath moved.

In treating ores containing a high per- Centage of phosphorus it is sometimes desirable'to first subject the ore charge to a moderate heat of about, 1500 F. for the space of one or more hours and afterward to apply the maximum heat to complete the operation. I In commercial operation it is in some cases I is tapped from the furnace there should'be allowed to remain upon the hearth from 10% to 25% of the molten metal resulting from each operation, to assist in retaining the heat on the bottom of the hearth and also to form a bath of metal to receive each 5110- ceeding ore-charge; thus rendering the proc-' ess a continuous one.

The time'required forthc direct production of malleable iron equal to the best refined iron and containing over 99% Fe or the production of superior steel of any de-, Y sired" carbon. contents directly from the ore, by meansof a Siemens open hearth furnace 100 hours for iron tosix hours for steel; depending upon the magnitude and composition of the charge, the lining of the hearth and somewhatupon the character of the iron oxid under treatment. 195

ing various other metals desirable as alloys,

a suitable mixture of ores containing the metals required, in the desired proportions,

and the requisite steel alloy will in most cases result from the one operation. Or any desirable metallic alloy may be added: to the molten metal before or after tapping as in ordinary open hearth practice. 1. Although it is usually desirable that the ore to be treated should be in a fine state of division and alihough'the best and most economical i results are obtained. when all, substances contained in the ore-charge have 0 been finely ground and brought into intimate contact each with the other before being subjected to heat, the application of this process may not be entirely limit-ed thereto;

manner hereinbefore indicated wherein partor all of the substances composing the same may havebecronly brought intoa state of comparatively line division such as ores and other substances which may not have been crushed to uniform fineness or which may not have been screened after crushing so that some portions thereof may have been rendered as fine as sand and other portions may contain coarser grains or lumps of various sizes.

It is to be understood that the term silica in the claims is used broadly to include such silica or silicious material as may occur in or be native to the ore.

We claim, I

1. The herein described process of producing refined metallic iron from ores containing the oxids of iron, which consists in subjecting an ore charge containing the ore and suitable quantities of sodium chlorid and silica in a fine state of division, to a high degree of heat for a period sufficient to effect the reduction of the iron oxids to metallic iron.

2. The herein described process of producing refined metallic iron from ores containings the oxids of iron. which consists in subiifjecting an ore charge containing the iron ore and suitable quantities of sodium chlorid and silica, to a high degree of heat in such a manner as to exclude free access of air for a period sufiicient to effect the reduction of the iron o-xids to metallic iron.

3. An improvement in the art of reducing ores containing the oxids of iron which in.- volves subjecting an ore charge containing the iron ore and suitable quantities of sodium chlorid'and silica to heat of a temperature equal to or greater than the fusing point of pure iron and for a period sufiicient to reducethe oxids of iron to metallic iron.

4. An improvementin the art of reducing iron oxid ores which involves mixing an ore charge containing the iron ore and suitable quantities of sodium chlorid and silica. and subjecting the same to heat in an open hearth furnace under a layer of carbonaceous material to exclude the free access of air. for a period sufiicient to effect the de sired result.

5. The herein described improvement in the art of reducing ores containing oxide of iron which consists in heating such ores while excluding free access of air and while in contact with a suitable chlorid such as the chlorid of sodium mixed with silica to a emperature equal to or greater than the fusing point of pure iron and for a periodof time sutiicient to reduce the oxids of iron to metallic iron.

6. The herein described process of producing refined metallic iron .from ores con- .taining oxids of iron which consists in subjecting an ore charge containing the iron ore. suitable quantities of sodium chlorid, and a basic fluxing material in a state of fine division, to heat while substantially out of contact with air and of a temperature heat with equal to or greater than the fusing point of pure iron for a period suificient 'toreduc'e the oxids of iron to refined metallic iron.

7. The herein described process of produc ing refined metallic ironirom titaniferous iron oxid ores, whichconsistsin subjecting an ore charge containing the ground or finely divided ore, sodium chlorid, silica, a basic material, and manganese dioxid, to exclusion of free access of air for a period sufficient to effect the desired result,

8. An improvement in the art of producing refined iron from titaniferous oxid ores, which consists in subjecting an ore charge containing the ground ore, manganese dioxid, chlorid of sodium, silica and a basic fiuxing material, to a high degree of heat for a period sufficient to effect the desired result.

9. The herein described process of producing refined metallic iron from iron oxid ores containing sulfur or phosphorus, which consists in subjecting an ore charge containing the ground or finely divided ore mixed with suitable quantities of sodium chlorid and silica together with a basic material, primarily to moderate heat and afterward to a high heat in such a manner as to exclude free access of air for a period suflicient to effect the desired result.

10. The herein described process of producing steel directly from 1I0I1 oxid ores, which consists in subjecting an ore charge containing iron ore and sodium chlorid, silica, basic fluxing materials and a suitable carbonaceous, materialto oarburize the reduced metal to the desired degree, to a high degree of heat while substantially out of contact with air and for a period sufiicient to effect the desired result.

11. The herein described process of producing steel directly from oxid iron ores, which consists in subjecting an ore charge containing the ground or finely divided ore mixed with suitable quantities of sodium chlorid, silica and a basic fluxing material, together with manganese dioxid and carbonaceous material sufiicient in quantity to carburize the reduced metal to the desired degree, to heat with the exclusion of free access of air for a period suflicient to effect the desired result.

12. The hereindescribed improvement in the art of reducing iron oxids without the use of carbonaceous reducing agents which consists in heating the oxids of iron substantially out of contact with air and in the presence of the chlorid of sodium and silica. whereby the constituents of the metallic chlorid are dissociated and simultaneously metallic iron is produced.

13. The herein described improvement in the art of producing refined iron from iron ores containing sulfur or phosphorus, which consists in dissociating, under suitable thermal conditions, the constituents of sodium chlorid in the presence of iron oxids and cess of air thereby allowing the liberated silica, and thereby allowing the liberated chlorin to act as a dephosphorizing and dechlorin to act as a dephosphorizing and desulfurizing agent.

sulfurizing agent. I In testimony whereof we have hereunto 1.5 14;. The herein described improvement in set our hands in presence of two subscribing the art of producing refined iron from iron witnesses.

ores containing sulfur or phosphorus, which WILLIAM SPEIRS SIMPSON. consists in intimately mixing the ore, with HOWARD OVIATT. sodium chlorid and silica and dissociating Witnesses:

the constituents of the sodium chlorid, under RICHARD CoxE GARDNER, suitable thermal conditions without free ac- HAROLD Coxn GARDNER.

. Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G. 

